INTERNATIONALS GET GEARED UP FOR ACTION

JAMISON Gibson-Park and Tadhg Furlong are set to make their seasonal bows against the Sharks at the RDS on Saturday, with the Ireland stars poised for a return to action this week. Leinster boss Leo Cullen has been gradually reintegrating his international contingent back into his squad in recent weeks, with James Ryan and Johnny Sexton both making their first appearances of the new campaign as second-half replacements in last Friday’s hard-fought win against Ulster in Belfast. Gibson-Park was tipped to feature in the top-of-the-table clash in Belfast before the scrum-half fell ill in the days leading up to the game. However, the Ireland international is primed to feature as the 30-year-old looks to be build on a transformative 12 months where he has become first choice for club and country. Furlong, meanwhile, has been kept in reserve after the Leinster tighthead’s huge shifts in the New Zealand Test series. Leinster will also issue an injury update this afternoon, with information on Ciaran Frawley’s shoulder injury as well as Caelan Doris, who has been going through the return-to-play protocols. Ulster are back in action on Saturday, with the Ospreys set to visit Kingspan Stadium, and head coach Dan McFarland is hoping to have Iain Henderson back in contention, with the Ireland lock nearing a return from a knee injury which he sustained in a training session in the first few days of the New Zealand tour in June. James Hume also remains sidelined with a groin injury. Elsewhere, Emerging Ireland head coach Simon Easterby is expected to name a muchchanged side tomorrow ahead of Wednesday’s clash with the Pumas in Bloemfontein. Easterby’s youthful squad got their Toyota Cup campaign up and running with an emphatic eight-try hammering of the Griquas, and the stand-in head coach is set to test a few more fringe players, with Sam Illo, John Hodnett, Antoine Frisch and Ethan McIlroy all pushing for inclusion.